


Curiosity

by Chamomile



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: F/F, Gen, Implied Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-24
Updated: 2014-06-24
Packaged: 2018-12-29 16:47:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12089181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chamomile/pseuds/Chamomile
Summary: They say that curiosity killed the coeurl...and Commodore Reyner Hansred. Reyner, Slafyrsyn, and their baffling question for the Admiral.





	Curiosity

**Author's Note:**

> This was written about 3 years ago...I think I just wanted to write a story about the banter between Slafyrsyn and Reyner, Merlwyb's 2 top officers, and how they might deal with Merlwyb if she were to be in a relationship with Kan-E...which is something I very much enjoy writing. Since 2.0, Slafyrsyn's taken a bit of a bigger role as Merlwyb's second-in-command, but Reyner not so much! I guess he's busy at Coral Tower or whatever.
> 
> In any case, here is one such story about these two guys. Enjoy!

Commodore Reyner was a simple man. He enjoyed simple things, like a spot of tea with his breakfast and paperwork in the mornings and training his recruits in the afternoons…though, when his ideal schedule changed—even just a bit—he tended to be a tad grumpy. The peace of Eorzea had spoiled him, what with the Warriors of Light returned to take on the primal threat, and, while he wouldn’t mind getting in on the action, he had acquired a taste for simplicity over time…Which was why a morning summons from the Admiral had him grumpier than a hungry Kobold.

For one thing, the summons itself had given him a rude awakening—who gives a summons at four bells in the bloody morning?!—he wondered. But the Admiral, he recalled, was never very predictable, and so he set off for the Stateroom without his tea, without very much of his meal, and without his paperwork. As he had learned over the years, if one values their lives, they do not, under any circumstances, say no to Admiral Merlwyb.

So there he sat, the poor soul, sleepily sighing on a bench at the side of the stateroom, watching the stars fade away from the window to be carefully replaced with the warm light of dawn. Oddly enough, he was the only one there, and for a moment he’d wondered if the Admiral’s courier meant four bells in the afternoon. He was tired when he took the message…and the Admiral was not wont to give summons so early…

The Commodore imagined himself back in his warm, cozy bed, snuggled up to his pillows, perhaps with a comely maiden ready to serve him his favorite mulled tea at his bedside…Yes, that would have been nice.

But the Stateroom doors flew open, interrupting Reyner’s lovely little reverie and revealing an exhausted Storm Marshal Slafyrsyn. The Marshal took a few sleepy steps in; Reyner watched his eyes wander from one side of the room to the other until the Roegadyn man finally noticed him.

“Ah, Commodore! My apologies, I did not see you there…”

“I suppose you have yet to fully wake up either, then?” yawned the Commodore.

“Yes…” Slafyrsyn nodded slightly, rubbing his eyes, “I understand the circumstances of this summons, and I understand the Admiral is quite zealous about our forthcoming guest, but four bells in the morning is a bit much…”

“Hm?” inquired Reyner, “I had not heard anything of a guest…or anything behind the Admiral’s summons, for that matter. Might you inform me?”

The Marshal made his way to the side of the bench, leaning back on the wall behind it, and agreed to explain.

“It seems,” he began, “The Elder Seedseer informed the Admiral last night that she planned on visiting our fair Limsa for a few days.”

The phrases took a moment to process in his exhausted mind, but clicked soon enough…while it was uncommon for an Admiral to issue a summons this early, it was probably even more uncommon for said Admiral to have a lover in one of her allies…

“What brought that about?” Reyner wondered aloud.

“I know little else of it,” shrugged Slafyrsyn, “Only that she should arrive in Limsa by the afternoon.”

“And the Admiral?”

“…Is currently at the Bismarck,” the Roegadyn answered, “She’d mentioned something about wanting to have a small banquet for our guest.”

Reyner’s hopes rose at the word ‘banquet’.

“Are we invited?”

“I haven’t any idea. I would assume it is exclusively for the two of them…”

“I do have to wonder about the Admiral’s sudden change in demeanor whenever she spends time with that woman…although I suppose anyone would, with a companion as beautiful and kind as they say she is,” the Commodore scratched his chin, “You have observed it as well, have you not, Marshal?”

“Indeed I have,” Slafyrsyn grumbled, “It is as they say—‘Love can quiet even the fiercest of storms’.”

“Be that as it may,” replied Reyner, “I see no need for the Admiral to bring us into the matter…Though I must admit, never did I dream she’d have a maiden by her side before we…”

“The Elder Seedseer is our guest regardless. I assume the Admiral has plans for us in the meantime to make her environment most comfortable before she arrives…a Lominsan atmosphere is far from that of Gridania’s, after all.”

“I am a bit surprised to hear of her coming to Limsa…In most cases, the Admiral would be on her way to the Shroud…what inspired her change of heart?”

“You can ask the Admiral,” chuckled the Marshal, “As I have said, I’ve told you all I know.”

“…Yes, of course,” Reyner added quietly. For a few ticks, silence reigned over the Stateroom, and the two Maelstrom men gazed about the room, thinking to themselves, waiting for their Admiral to finally arrive.

It was difficult for the Commodore to appreciate the silence…After all, he was used to the loud yells of the marauders of Coral Tower, or the musket shots heard from its basement…And so it rather annoyed him that all he could do was watch the brightening sunlight slowly creep into the window in back of the room, constantly reminding him of how early he’d woken up.

He decided to speak up again, this time without thinking very much.

“But why the Admiral always brightens up after she’s come back from Gridania is still a mystery…”

Slafyrsyn did a double-take at his cohort.

“You…really don’t know?” a puzzled Roegadyn stared his Hyur comrade down, somewhat flabbergasted.

“Know what?” Reyner asked back, defensively.

“Why do you think the Admiral’s always in high spirits when she returns from Gridania…?”

A perplexed Commodore took a moment to think…He’d seen other soldiers oddly cheerful like that before a journey, or after a few of their days off…In fact, if he thought back, very hard, he remembered his father that cheerful on a few occasions as a child…one such occasion being the day after he’d accidentally walked in on his mother and father—Oh.

“You mean…” a wide-eyed Commodore stared back, “the Admiral and the horned lass are…?!”

Slafyrsyn stifled a laugh.

“That would most likely be the case, yes…” the Roegadyn concluded.

“Oh…Oh, Gods…” Reyner held his head is shock, “I had not even…thought of that possibility…”

“Where did you suppose the Admiral slept when she traveled to Gridania?”

“Certainly not with the little forest maiden! …In fact—no…”

“Hm?” Slafyrsyn turned back to the Commodore, “You may as well get your answers now, before the Admiral arrives…”

“That…That is true…Well, for one thing…”

Reyner hesitated before finishing his question, sparking some curiosity in Slafyrsyn.

“Yes? Speak up, then.”

“How–how would two women go about…you know…?”

The usual calm of Slafyrsyn’s face broke into embarrassment when he’d heard the full question…His eyes wandered from Reyner’s gaze and to the side of the room…and Reyner couldn’t help but wonder why.

“Well?!” stuttered a red-faced Reyner, “You did say you would answer me.”

“I…I suppose they, ah…” Slafyrsyn twiddled his thumbs, somewhat lost in thought, “The two of them, perhaps, ah…”

“Then you haven’t the answers, either.”

The Marshal sighed, defeated, and finally answered, “…I’m afraid not. Though, perhaps we could—no, absolutely not…”

“Were you thinking of asking the Admiral? How would we go about doing that without being shot?”

“Actually,” the Roegadyn corrected his ally, remembering something, “…Her muskets go for polishing at Naldiq and Vymelli’s until 10 bells…”

“So it would be best to ask before then.”

“…Yes.”

“The question, then,” Reyner concluded, “Is when you will be able to get the opportunity to ask.”

“Me?” Slafyrsyn seemed taken aback, “You first posed the question…I believe you should be the one to ask.”

“Pardon?!” Reyner nearly jumped, “Was it not you who said you had the answers to my questions?”

“That may be true,” Slafyrsyn suddenly began to fiddle around his coat pockets, “but that does not mean I—Ah, here we are.”

The Marshal took out a small red commemorative coin from one of his pockets and showed it to a confused (and still drowsy) Reyner.

“A coin?” the Commodore stated the obvious.

“Heads, or tails?” asked the Marshal, “The side shown must confront the Admiral.”

It took Reyner some time to think about whether his life was worth that much, that he would risk it on a coin flip…and, if he did lose, then…No. Reyner wasn’t a Commodore of the Knights of the Barracuda for nothing, and he was not one to shy away from a challenge.

“…Tails,” Reyner confirmed. Slafyrsyn acknowledged this, putting the coin on the tip of his fist and letting his thumb fly up along with the shining red object, sparkling for a second or two in the morning light before falling to the floor.

The two men eyed the coin carefully, as if their lives depended on it, and waited anxiously for it to fall flat…Reyner stared in disbelief as it did.

“It is tails, Commodore,” Slafyrsyn said slyly, “The responsibility is yours.”

“N-no, I, ah…I mean, perhaps it is best to just not ask…”

“A man does not go back on his word, Commodore.”

Reyner grimaced at that last statement, and realized he’d probably backed himself into a corner for asking too many questions…He blamed his lack of sleep.

“Then until the Admiral arrives, I request a re-match. Best two out of thr–”

The doors to the Stateroom slammed open, revealing a sight to fill the Commodore with fear: Admiral Merlwyb herself, poised and full of her usual energy, despite it being not even half-past four bells…

“Commodore, Marshal,” she nodded to the two of them as if to greet them, walking quickly past afterwards and sitting at her desk, immediately beginning her work.

“…The Admiral has arrived,” Slafyrsyn wryly whispered. Reyner furrowed his brow, but stood up to salute the Admiral regardless. The officers approached the Admiral’s desk as they normally would, ready for any commands to be given.

“You have my apologies,” Merlwyb spoke up, keeping her eyes focused on her paperwork, “I did not intend to send for you two so early…however, that damned mailmoogle would have it otherwise…It appears he had gotten lost on his way here and could not deliver his letter from Kan-E informing me of her arrival until the wee hours of the morning…And so we are here.”

“What would you have us do, Admiral?” Slafyrsyn saluted again, his serious demeanor slowly coming back after his unusual conversation with Reyner.

“Marshal,” the Admiral began again, still keeping her eyes focused on whatever it was she was writing, “I would have you go to Summerford Farms. Have them find me the best wildflowers available. From there, travel to Wineport. I expect those flowers and a bottle of their finest 1572 Bacchus on the table in my chambers before the Elder Seedseer arrives.”

Slafyrsyn seemed taken aback by…such a strange order, coming from the Admiral, but he could not say he didn’t expect it under these circumstances.

“Y-yes, Admiral!” the Marshal nodded, taking his orders to memory.

“And as for me, Admiral?” asked a rather fidgety Reyner.

“Commodore, you will stay in Limsa and see to it that your men are especially on guard…You will remain on the Upper Decks and ensure the banquet is being prepared on time—once that is complete, I would have you travel to the airship landing to ensure the Elder Seedseer that she is most welcome to Limsa, and you will lead her here. She will be arriving this afternoon.” 

“Yes, Admiral.” Reyner saluted nervously…and for a second it seemed as though the Admiral could notice.

“…Any questions?”

There was silence for a moment or two—all that could be heard was the Admiral’s quill rubbing its ink against the paper…but in Reyner’s mind, an echo of Marshal Slafyrsyn’s voice reverberated through his mind.

“A man does not go back on his word, Commodore.”

The echo would not stop…not until he spoke his mind. He was Commodore Reyner Hansred, godsdamnit, and he would not shy away from knowledge, or from speaking his mind, or being a man!

And so he spoke:

“…If I may, Admiral, I…do have a question.” His voice gained confidence as he continued, “It…does not directly pertain to our orders, but…I would like permission for you to answer it.”

“Permission granted,” she nodded, “You may ask.”

…Well, that went a lot smoother than he’d expected. With as much courage as he could muster, and with the anticipatory gaze from Slafyrsyn, he spoke again.

“Ah…You and the Elder Seedseer, Admiral…I…with all due respect, I do not mean to pry, however…the two of you are both—how do you, ah…is it not…difficult to have her with you in—er, no, I apologize…perhaps I should start aga—”

“Are you attempting to ask me how Kan-E and I make love, Commodore?”

The Admiral stopped her writing. Slafyrsyn’s eyes widened. Reyner may have stopped breathing. The tension in the room could be cut with a knife.

“I, ah…yes, Admiral!” Reyner confidently assured her, “…Yes, I am.”

Admiral Merlwyb’s eyes were still glued to the paper…but, for the tiniest moment, the Commodore thought he saw a look of surprise, and the slightest blush on the Admiral’s cheeks. In fact, for a while, she did not speak, did not write…

It was only when her quill began to move again that she, too, spoke up.

“…I see,” She said in monotone, “An…interesting question, to say the least.”

“Then you will answer it?” the question slipped out of Reyner’s mouth.

The Admiral smirked slightly and finally answered, “Aye, that I will, if it would satiate your curiosity.” In that moment, the index finger of the Admiral’s non-writing hand bent towards her, as if to say, “come closer.” Reyner, loyal man that he was, came ever closer, eager to hear at least some kind of short explanation that his mind would take in and connect the dots for him later…

Merlwyb motioned with her finger once more—this time, Reyner’s head was close to the Admiral’s…perhaps she was going to whisper it to him? Perhaps she was—dare he even think it—embarrassed! And perhaps this whole ordeal had not gone so terribly after all! He would prove to Slafyrsyn how manly he truly was, and finally get his answers!

…Although the Admiral’s oncoming fist to Reyner’s face said otherwise.

She’d punched him right in the eye, all while keeping her focus on her document, continuing to write with her other hand…Slafyrsyn stood in horror as the Commodore uttered a quick, pained cry, and hit the floor.

Merlwyb simply sighed.

“…Did your mother never teach you that a woman’s personal life is none but her own, Commodore?” she asked, “You are fortunate I did not have Death Penalty to answer for me this day.”

“…M-my apologies, Admiral…” a groaning Reyner attempted to get himself back up, covering his swollen eye and the area around it, “It—ugh! …will not happen again…but Marshal Slafyrsyn—”

“Yes, but at least the Marshal has the ability to keep his mouth shut when he knows it is best. You are dismissed.”

But neither of them budged. Slafyrsyn tried to speak for his injured companion.

“…I do apologize for the outburst, Admiral…It will not—”

“Do you two not understand the meaning of ‘dismissed’? You are dismissed.”

The two saluted her and ran off to do her bidding without another word.

———-

That afternoon, when the Elder Seedseer arrived, she was quick to notice Reyner’s bruised eye.

“If I may ask, Commodore…What transpired to give you such a wound?”

He told her it was best for him not to answer that question, lest he gain another black eye.


End file.
